US7803007B1 - Connecting terminal for a cable - Google Patents

Connecting terminal for a cable Download PDF

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Publication number
US7803007B1
US7803007B1 US12/709,480 US70948010A US7803007B1 US 7803007 B1 US7803007 B1 US 7803007B1 US 70948010 A US70948010 A US 70948010A US 7803007 B1 US7803007 B1 US 7803007B1
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Prior art keywords
cable
terminal box
steel elastic
elastic sheets
conductive
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Expired - Fee Related
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US12/709,480
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Ming-Yi Chou
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/28—Clamped connections, spring connections
    • H01R4/48—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member
    • H01R4/4809—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member using a leaf spring to bias the conductor toward the busbar
    • H01R4/48185—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member using a leaf spring to bias the conductor toward the busbar adapted for axial insertion of a wire end

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a connecting terminal for a cable, and more particularly to a cable connecting terminal which provides improved conductivity and safety.
  • a typical cable connection is carried out by twisting the conductive wires of the cables together and then covering them with electrical tape.
  • this connection is inconvenient and dangerous because the tape may lose its adhesive ability.
  • This cable connection terminal comprises a terminal box 10 ; inside the terminal box 10 is a sheet spring 16 and a current bus.
  • One opened end of the terminal box 10 has a panel 11 .
  • the panel 11 has a plurality of cable holes 12 , 13 and 14 , and a spring tongue 21 and a window 211 are formed on the sheet spring 16 corresponding to each cable hole 12 , 13 and 14 .
  • the cable 15 is stripped to expose a suitable length of conductive wire 18 , and the conductive wire 18 is inserted through the cable hole 12 on the panel 11 into the terminal box 10 .
  • the conductive wire 18 of the cable 15 then is pressed by a free end 20 of the spring tongue 21 through the window 211 , such that the conductive wire 18 of the cable 15 tightly contacts a free end 177 of the current bus 17 .
  • the free end 20 of the spring tongue 21 provides a one-way securing effect to prevent the cable 15 from being pulled out of the terminal box 10 . Therefore, the connection between the two cables 15 is established.
  • the conductive wire 18 of the cable 15 only contacts the free end 20 of the spring tongue 21 and the freed end 171 of the current bus 17 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Therefore, the very limited contact area causes poor conductivity and high temperatures, which may result in elastic degradation of the spring tongue 21 and affect the contact between the free end 20 of the spring tongue 21 , the current bus 17 and the cable 15 . Sometimes the cable 15 may even escape from the terminal box which can be dangerous.
  • the above-mentioned cable terminal has only one panel 11 with the cable holes 12 , 13 and 14 ; therefore, only a cable 15 from the same direction can be directly inserted into the terminal box 10 ; a cable 15 from another direction needs to be folded or bent to be inserted into the terminal box 10 , which leads to clutter.
  • An objective of the present invention is to provide a connecting terminal for a cable.
  • a cable connecting terminal comprises a terminal box, a conductive column and a plurality of steel elastic sheets, wherein the terminal box has a closed face with a plurality of first cable holes at one end and an opened face at the other end capable of being covered by a cap; the conductive column disposed at a center position of the terminal box and having a plurality of axial arc slots on a peripheral surface, each arc slot corresponding to each first and second cable hole; the plurality of steel elastic sheets disposed in the terminal box and corresponding to the arc slots of the conductive column, one end of each steel elastic sheet adjacent to the first and second cable hole bent to form a one-way securing portion, and the other end bent to form a pressing portion.
  • a conductive end of the cable inserted into the terminal box through the first or second cable hole the conductive end of the cable is pressed by the pressing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets and tightly contacts the arc slot of the conductive column and is secured by the one-way securing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art cable connecting terminal.
  • FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating usage of the prior art cable connecting terminal.
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional drawing along a line I-I shown in FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along a line II-II shown in FIG. 5 .
  • FIG. 7 illustrates usage of an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional drawing along a line III-III shown in FIG. 7 .
  • an embodiment cable connecting terminal comprises a terminal box 30 , a conductive column 40 and a plurality of steel elastic sheets 50 .
  • the terminal box 30 (with further reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 ) has a closed face with a plurality of first cable holes 31 at one end and an opened face at the other end capable of being covered by a cap 32 .
  • the cap 32 of the terminal box 30 includes a plurality of second cable holes 33 , and the plurality of second cable holes 33 are alternatively arranged with the plurality of the first cable holes 31 on the closed face.
  • the terminal box 30 has a plurality of spacing edges 34 on an inner wall providing a plurality of slots 35 in the terminal box 30 , and the plurality of slots 35 accept the plurality of steel elastic sheets 50 . Each slot 35 corresponds to one cable hole 31 or 33 .
  • a conductive column 40 (referring to FIG. 5 ) is disposed at a central position of the terminal box 30 and has a plurality of axial arc slots 41 on its external peripheral surface; each arc slot 41 corresponds to each first and second cable hole 31 , 33 and each slot 35 in the terminal box 30 .
  • the plurality of steel elastic sheets 50 (referring to FIG. 5 ) are individually disposed in each slot 35 in the terminal box 30 .
  • One end of each steel elastic sheet 50 adjacent to the first and second cable holes 31 , 33 is bent to form a one-way securing portion 51 , and the other end is bent to form a pressing portion 52 .
  • a conductive end 61 of the cable 60 is exposed by stripping and then inserted into the terminal box 30 through the first or second cable hole 31 , 33 ; the conductive end 61 of the cable 60 is pressed by the pressing portion 52 of the plurality of steel elastic sheets 50 and tightly contacts the arc slot 41 of the conductive column and is secured by a free end 511 of the one-way securing portion 51 of the steel elastic sheet 51 . Therefore, the cable 60 is prevented from be pulled from the terminal box 30 in an opposite direction, and the two individual cables 60 are connected together.
  • the connecting terminal disclosed in the present invention has the following benefits: 1. the arc slot 41 of the conductive column 40 provides a larger area contact area to directly contact the conductive end 61 of the cable 60 , which can improve the conductivity of the connection. 2. With the pressing portion 52 of steel elastic sheet 50 , the conductive end 61 of the cable 60 can smoothly and tightly contact the arc slot 41 of the conductive column 40 , which also improves the conductivity. 3.
  • the terminal box 30 has the closed face with the plurality of first cable holes 31 at one end, the cap 32 of the terminal box 30 includes the plurality of second cable holes 33 , and thus the terminal box 30 is able to accept more than one cable 60 .

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  • Connections Arranged To Contact A Plurality Of Conductors (AREA)
  • Cable Accessories (AREA)

Abstract

A cable connecting terminal has a conductive column in a terminal box, a plurality of plurality of steel elastic sheets around the conductive column, and arc slots on the conductive column corresponding to the plurality of steel elastic sheets. A conductive end of the cable inserted into the terminal box through the first or second cable hole, the conductive end of the cable is pressed by the pressing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets and tightly contacts the arc slot of the conductive column and is secured by the one-way securing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting terminal for a cable, and more particularly to a cable connecting terminal which provides improved conductivity and safety.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical cable connection is carried out by twisting the conductive wires of the cables together and then covering them with electrical tape. However, this connection is inconvenient and dangerous because the tape may lose its adhesive ability.
In order to improve the above issue, a cable connection terminal has been developed, such as the terminal disclosed in German patent application serial No. 200610019150 shown in FIG. 1-FIG. 3. This cable connection terminal comprises a terminal box 10; inside the terminal box 10 is a sheet spring 16 and a current bus. One opened end of the terminal box 10 has a panel 11. The panel 11 has a plurality of cable holes 12, 13 and 14, and a spring tongue 21 and a window 211 are formed on the sheet spring 16 corresponding to each cable hole 12, 13 and 14.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the cable 15 is stripped to expose a suitable length of conductive wire 18, and the conductive wire 18 is inserted through the cable hole 12 on the panel 11 into the terminal box 10. The conductive wire 18 of the cable 15 then is pressed by a free end 20 of the spring tongue 21 through the window 211, such that the conductive wire 18 of the cable 15 tightly contacts a free end 177 of the current bus 17. With the current bus 17, different cables 15 inserted in the terminal box 10 are connected. Furthermore, the free end 20 of the spring tongue 21 provides a one-way securing effect to prevent the cable 15 from being pulled out of the terminal box 10. Therefore, the connection between the two cables 15 is established.
However, although the above-mentioned cable terminal provides an improvement over the above-indicated issue, the conductive wire 18 of the cable 15 only contacts the free end 20 of the spring tongue 21 and the freed end 171 of the current bus 17 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). Therefore, the very limited contact area causes poor conductivity and high temperatures, which may result in elastic degradation of the spring tongue 21 and affect the contact between the free end 20 of the spring tongue 21, the current bus 17 and the cable 15. Sometimes the cable 15 may even escape from the terminal box which can be dangerous.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned cable terminal has only one panel 11 with the cable holes 12, 13 and 14; therefore, only a cable 15 from the same direction can be directly inserted into the terminal box 10; a cable 15 from another direction needs to be folded or bent to be inserted into the terminal box 10, which leads to clutter.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a connecting terminal for a cable to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the present invention is to provide a connecting terminal for a cable.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives a cable connecting terminal comprises a terminal box, a conductive column and a plurality of steel elastic sheets, wherein the terminal box has a closed face with a plurality of first cable holes at one end and an opened face at the other end capable of being covered by a cap; the conductive column disposed at a center position of the terminal box and having a plurality of axial arc slots on a peripheral surface, each arc slot corresponding to each first and second cable hole; the plurality of steel elastic sheets disposed in the terminal box and corresponding to the arc slots of the conductive column, one end of each steel elastic sheet adjacent to the first and second cable hole bent to form a one-way securing portion, and the other end bent to form a pressing portion. Furthermore, with the above-mentioned structure, a conductive end of the cable inserted into the terminal box through the first or second cable hole, the conductive end of the cable is pressed by the pressing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets and tightly contacts the arc slot of the conductive column and is secured by the one-way securing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art cable connecting terminal.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating usage of the prior art cable connecting terminal.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional drawing along a line I-I shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along a line II-II shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 illustrates usage of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional drawing along a line III-III shown in FIG. 7.
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As shown in FIG. 4, an embodiment cable connecting terminal comprises a terminal box 30, a conductive column 40 and a plurality of steel elastic sheets 50.
The terminal box 30 (with further reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) has a closed face with a plurality of first cable holes 31 at one end and an opened face at the other end capable of being covered by a cap 32. The cap 32 of the terminal box 30 includes a plurality of second cable holes 33, and the plurality of second cable holes 33 are alternatively arranged with the plurality of the first cable holes 31 on the closed face. The terminal box 30 has a plurality of spacing edges 34 on an inner wall providing a plurality of slots 35 in the terminal box 30, and the plurality of slots 35 accept the plurality of steel elastic sheets 50. Each slot 35 corresponds to one cable hole 31 or 33.
A conductive column 40 (referring to FIG. 5) is disposed at a central position of the terminal box 30 and has a plurality of axial arc slots 41 on its external peripheral surface; each arc slot 41 corresponds to each first and second cable hole 31, 33 and each slot 35 in the terminal box 30.
The plurality of steel elastic sheets 50 (referring to FIG. 5) are individually disposed in each slot 35 in the terminal box 30. One end of each steel elastic sheet 50 adjacent to the first and second cable holes 31, 33 is bent to form a one-way securing portion 51, and the other end is bent to form a pressing portion 52.
As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, with the above-mentioned structure, a conductive end 61 of the cable 60 is exposed by stripping and then inserted into the terminal box 30 through the first or second cable hole 31, 33; the conductive end 61 of the cable 60 is pressed by the pressing portion 52 of the plurality of steel elastic sheets 50 and tightly contacts the arc slot 41 of the conductive column and is secured by a free end 511 of the one-way securing portion 51 of the steel elastic sheet 51. Therefore, the cable 60 is prevented from be pulled from the terminal box 30 in an opposite direction, and the two individual cables 60 are connected together.
Accordingly, the connecting terminal disclosed in the present invention has the following benefits: 1. the arc slot 41 of the conductive column 40 provides a larger area contact area to directly contact the conductive end 61 of the cable 60, which can improve the conductivity of the connection. 2. With the pressing portion 52 of steel elastic sheet 50, the conductive end 61 of the cable 60 can smoothly and tightly contact the arc slot 41 of the conductive column 40, which also improves the conductivity. 3. The terminal box 30 has the closed face with the plurality of first cable holes 31 at one end, the cap 32 of the terminal box 30 includes the plurality of second cable holes 33, and thus the terminal box 30 is able to accept more than one cable 60.
Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims (3)

1. A connecting terminal for a cable comprising: a terminal box, a conductive column and a plurality of steel elastic sheets, wherein the terminal box has a closed face with a plurality of first cable holes at one end and an opened face at the other end capable of being covered by a cap;
the conductive column disposed at a center position of the terminal box and having a plurality of axial arc slots on a peripheral surface, each arc slot corresponding to each first and second cable hole;
the plurality of steel elastic sheets disposed in the terminal box and corresponding to the arc slots of the conductive column, one end of each steel elastic sheet adjacent to the first and second cable hole bent to form a one-way securing portion, and the other end bent to form a pressing portion;
wherein with the above-mentioned structure, a conductive end of the cable inserted into the terminal box through the first or second cable hole, the conductive end of the cable is pressed by the pressing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets and tightly contacts the arc slot of the conductive column and is secured by the one-way securing portions of the plurality of steel elastic sheets.
2. The connecting terminal for a cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap of the terminal box includes a plurality of second cable holes, and the plurality of second cable holes are alternatively arranged with the plurality of the first cable holes on the closed face.
3. The connecting terminal for a cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal box has a plurality of spacing edges in an inner wall providing a plurality of slots in the terminal box, and the plurality of slots accept the plurality of steel elastic sheets.
US12/709,480 2009-12-07 2010-02-20 Connecting terminal for a cable Expired - Fee Related US7803007B1 (en)

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TW098141984A TW201121156A (en) 2009-12-07 2009-12-07 Electric wire connection terminal.
TW98141984A 2009-12-07

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150072571A1 (en) * 2013-09-12 2015-03-12 Ming-Yi Chou Wire connector
US20200106199A1 (en) * 2018-10-02 2020-04-02 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives Connector
US11772743B2 (en) 2022-02-18 2023-10-03 Joseph Francis Keenan System and method for bicycle transmission

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
TWI796602B (en) * 2020-09-29 2023-03-21 進聯工業股份有限公司 Improved structure of wiring components for terminal devices

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5454730A (en) * 1993-03-18 1995-10-03 Tozuka; Tadao Plug-in connector
US5580284A (en) * 1995-03-07 1996-12-03 The Whitaker Corporation Electrical wire connector
US5975940A (en) * 1996-12-20 1999-11-02 Wago Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh Self-clamping connectors for single-wired and multi-wire conductors
US6548761B1 (en) * 2001-08-10 2003-04-15 Jen-Ching Wang One-way cable terminal connector
US7150646B2 (en) * 2004-06-22 2006-12-19 Wago Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh Clamp terminal for connecting electrical conductors
US7175469B1 (en) * 2006-07-21 2007-02-13 Tyco Electronics Corporation Connector having dual tabbed wire trap

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5454730A (en) * 1993-03-18 1995-10-03 Tozuka; Tadao Plug-in connector
US5580284A (en) * 1995-03-07 1996-12-03 The Whitaker Corporation Electrical wire connector
US5975940A (en) * 1996-12-20 1999-11-02 Wago Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh Self-clamping connectors for single-wired and multi-wire conductors
US6548761B1 (en) * 2001-08-10 2003-04-15 Jen-Ching Wang One-way cable terminal connector
US7150646B2 (en) * 2004-06-22 2006-12-19 Wago Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh Clamp terminal for connecting electrical conductors
US7175469B1 (en) * 2006-07-21 2007-02-13 Tyco Electronics Corporation Connector having dual tabbed wire trap

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150072571A1 (en) * 2013-09-12 2015-03-12 Ming-Yi Chou Wire connector
US9048555B2 (en) * 2013-09-12 2015-06-02 Ming-Yi Chou Wire connector
US20200106199A1 (en) * 2018-10-02 2020-04-02 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives Connector
US10957996B2 (en) * 2018-10-02 2021-03-23 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives Connector made of an electrically insulating material to electrically connect a main conductor and a secondary conductor
US11772743B2 (en) 2022-02-18 2023-10-03 Joseph Francis Keenan System and method for bicycle transmission

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TW201121156A (en) 2011-06-16

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